Steering mechanism.



J. A. SBBLY.

STEERING MEGHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED 11111.22, 1910. RBNEWBD 111114.11113.

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@vih/mosca J. A. SEELY.

STEERING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED n.122, 1910. RENEWBD JAN. 4, 1913.

1,055,814. Patented Mar. 11,1913.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

WW1/Lames DM/f MMM J. A. SEBLY.

STEERING MEGHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED JAILZZ, 1910. RENEWED JAN. 4, 1913. 1,055,814, v Patented Mar. 11, 1913.

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JOHN A. SEELY, OF OGDENSBURG, NEW YORK.

STEERING MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 11, 1913.

Application led January 22, 1910, Serial No. 539,534. Renewed January 4, 1913. Serial No. 740,237.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN A. SEELY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Ogdensburg, in the county of St. Lawrence and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Steering Mechanism, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in steering mechanism, and relates more particularly to a steering mechanism for motor boats.

The object of the invention is to provide a steering mechanism of this character in which the steering wheel will embody a spark control and a gas control or throttle.

A further object of the invention is to generally improve and simplify, and at the same time to lessen the cost of manufacture and increase the efficiency of mechanisms of this type, and to provide an improved type of holding means for the steering mechanism itself.

Further and other objects will be later set forth and of themselves evidenced.v

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a sidelelevation, showing some of the parts broken away and in section, of the improved device, Fig. 2 is a fragmentary section taken longitudinally through the lower end of the device as shown in Fig. 1, Fig. 3 is a section taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2, Fig. 4 is a perspective view of one of the brackets which support the steering device in position, Fig. 5 is a front elevation of one of the brackets, Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 3 of a modified form of the invention,

Fig. 7 is a front elevation of the modified form showing the upper part of the steering mechanism removed, Fig. 8 is a sect-ion on line 8 8 of Fig. 6, and Fig. 9 is a frag mentary top plan view of the steering wheel proper showing the spark and gas control levers. Fig. 10 is a sectional view of a modified form of one of the brackets for supporting the modified form of steering device. Y

The invention as at present contemplated includes a base plate 1, on each end of which is mounted curved guiding blocks 2, the latter being adapted to engage chain 27. Preferably formed integral with the base plate 1, and depending therefrom is a collar 3, the collar being interiorly threaded so as to be in threaded engagement with thev 'arbor tube 4. A bearing sleeve 5 is secured in the lower end of the arbor tube 4 by means of a screw 6 which passes through collar 3, arbor tube 4, and extends partly into the sleeve 5, as shown in Fig. 2, whereby the arborI tube 4 is held rigid, with the bearing sleeve 5, which latter forms a bearing for the lower end of the longitudinal control handle tube 7. Fitted to rotate within the tube 7 is a second longitudinal control handle rod 8. A control foot 9 is secured to the tube 7 so as to rotate therewith, and a similar control foot 10 is secured to the rod 8 so as to partake of the movements thereof, it being understood that these control feet govern the spark, that is to say, one of the feet controls the spark and the other controls the gas, the spark control being for the purpose of advancing and retarding the spark and the gas control or throttle that of the gas, as is understood by those versed in the art of gas engines. p

A sprocket wheel 11 surrounds the stationary arbor tube 4, and is rotatable with respect thereto, the sprocket wheel being formed with an upwardly extending externally threaded annular flange 12, which is in threaded engagement with the outside tube 13, the upper end of tube 13 rigidly carrying the steering wheel 14. A common sector 15 is rigidly carried by the steering wheel 14 and is provided on its opposite sides with depressed seats 16 as seen in Fig. 9. A lever 17 is rigidly secured to the upper end of rod 8 and is formed in its outer end with a hollowed out portion in which a small coil spring 18 is mounted, the outer end of the `coil spring exerting pressure against a ball 19,`which latter is adapted to engage in one of the seats 16, it being understood that the pressure of the spring 18 can be readily overcome by manual movement imparted to the lever 17. Similarly a second lever 20 is rigidly secured to the upper end of thel tube 7, leverr20 being equipped with a similar spring pressed ball which latter however engages the seats 16 formed in the periphery of the sector 15, as distinguished from the spring pressed ball of the lever 17 which engages the seats in the inner surface of the sector 15. By reference to Fig. 2 it will be observed that the base plate 1 is formed with downwardly extending perforated ears 21, which latter are adapted Vto-'be received in thebifurcated end carried by the arm 23 of the bracket member 24. As shown in Fignllofthe drawings bracket 24 is suitably 'secured to' the front board of the boat in any approvedv manner, and the bifurcated end 25 is formed with a perforation adaptedto aline with the perforation in ear" 21, a securing thumb screw 26 being p'assedthrough the aliningy perfo# rat-ions whereby the furcations may be clamped into engagementwith the ears 21 to thereby hold the steering mechanism in any desired angular position', one of the positions being lllustratedl in Fig. 1 of the drawings.A l

A chain 27 engages with 'sprocket 11- and between the flanges of the guide' rollers 2, thechain having its ends connected with the rudder in a manner well known and familiar lto those versed in the art.` i I A modification is illustrated in Figs. 6, 7, 8 and 10, in which the base plate 1 is provided with curved bearing blocks 2 and lugs 2 vwhich together serve as a means to 'support the cover plate 4.V In this form of the invention the base plate is cast or otherwise formed with hollow turnnions 3 through which the ends of the sprocket chain pass. In cases where the trunnions 3 are employed, the ears 21 may be dispensed with or entirely omitted from the' base plate land the trunnions held' in bracket ineinbers 26 shown in Fig. 1Cor the drawings, the bracket 26 being bifurcated and formed with an annular seat 2'53 in which the trinnions are held byniea'n'sr of a thumb It will thus be observed that the spark control and the throttle ar'enbdied in the steering wheel proper, confining allv the to a small sphere within convenientand ready reach of the operator.

' What I claim is' i 1. A steering mechanism `for', motor boats, including a. base plate formed with downprojectinglr perforated ears, a steering wheel supported from the basepla'te,

brackets for supporting the base plate, e'ach offsaid brackets including an arm having a Bini-fated peffoiatea einer iid, Said ears f uitJ has@ plats being received iii uis fuications of the ears, and a thumb screw passed threiigh uit pifiatioiis of the bracket ariil and the ears of the base plate.

f2. A steering mechanism for motor boats, including a base plats, a collar @affita by the base plate and depending therefrom, an arbor tube having oneen'd in threaded engageinent with said collar, a bearing sleeve Varranged on the interior of the arbor tube atv the base thereof, a screw passing through the collar, the arbor tube and the bearing sleeve, a controller tiibein engagement with the hearing sleeve, a controller rod mounted iii tlie @onwel-lef site, 'operating levers forA V'cured -to the steering wheel and to said flange of the sprocket wheel.

3. A steering mechanism for motor boats,

`including a base plate, a collar carried by the base plate and depending therefrom, an arbor tube having one end in engagement with the collar; a"` bearing sleeve arranged on theinterio'r or the arbor tube at the base thereof, means for' rigidlyI uniting the arbor tube and the sleeve to the collar, a' controller tube in engagement with the bearing sleeve, a controller rod mounted in the controller tube, a steering wheel, a sprocket surrounding the arbor tube, means for connecting the sprocket to the n steering wheel, and means carried by the steering wheel for op* erfting the controller tube and controller ro 4. A steering mechanism for motor boats, including a steering wheel,- thr'ottle control means, spark control means, and means for operating each of said means carried by the steering wheel and including a'lever secured to the throttle control means, va lever secured to the spark control means, a sector common yto each of said levers, said sector 'being seats, a ball carried byeaich lever to engage in said seats, and a springa'lsoiearried by each lever and arranged rto the' rear" of the ball to hold same in engagement vwith the seats'. 5'. A steering mechanism for motorvboats, including a base plate, a cellar rigidly carried by the base plate and dependingtli'e're.- from,an arbor tube arranged to 'engage the collar on the interior of same,Vl a' bearing sleeve en the interior of th arbor tube at the base thereof, means to rigidly unite 'the bearing sleeve yand t-he arbor tube to the collar, throttle control and 'spark control means arranged one= within the other and being supported by the-bearing slee-ve, a

vsprocket surrounding the arbor tube, a steerrol'lnding said aibor tube.

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6. A Steeriiigmchaiiis'm for motor boats,

including a steering wheel, a tube secured to the steering wheel, means adapted tot conn'ect the lower end of the tube to the rudder,

YSpark ent'rol and throttle Ceiitrol means arranged on the interior of the tube, a lever connected to the spark control means, and 'a lever connected to the throttle control secured to the base plate, a control tube and a control rod to govern the spark and throttle arranged on the interior of the arbor tube, a sprocket surrounding the arbor tube and having an upwardly projecting ilange, a steering wheel, and a tube surrounding said flange of the sprocket and rigidly connected to said steering wheel.

S. A steering mechanism, including a base plate having a collar rigid therewith, an arbor tube engaging on the interior of the collar and rigidly secured thereto, a bearing sleeve on the interior of the arbor tube rigidly secured thereto, a controller element on the interior of the bearing sleeve, a sprocket wheel surrounding the arbor tube and rotatable with respect thereto, a steering wheel, and means secured to the steering wheel and t-o said sprocket whereby rotat-ion of the steering Wheel will cause corresponding movement of the sprocket.

9. A steering mechanism including a base plate, an arbor tube rigidly secured to the base plate, a controller tube on the interior of the arbor tube, means to provide a bearing for said controller tube carried by the arbor tube, a controller rod on the interior of the controller tube, a sprocket wheel rotatably surrounding the arbor tube, and a steering wheel rigidly connected to the sprocket.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN A. SEELY. Witnesses:

EUGENE Woons, THOMAS M. GLENNAN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

